A few words about…™ Supergirl (Feature) — in Blu-ray

Warner Achive's new Blu-ray is head and shoulders above any previous release 4 Stars

Especially after viewing the hour-long production doc, how might anyone not fall for Helen Slater, the then newly-minted 19 year-old star of the Salkind spin-off, Supergirl?

While the production may be in the “for DC Super-hero completists” category, it’s still a sweet, if not terribly brilliant ride.

Low-rentish effects, seem to have necessitated an overall soft look to the film. Too many wires, not enough digital abilities.

Even with the soft look – and there is requisite grain – which tells me it’s the look of the film, there’s still one giant cable in a shot of Ms Slater is yanked out of a lake, and into the air, in full SG regalia.

It will be a treat for fans to finally have a quality version of the film, as well as a new a new DVD of the “rare” director’s cut, of which there are only five copies known.

Checking over at Sotheby’s the last to hit auction brought an impressive $863,000! Eight times the going rate for a clean initialed copy of the 1926 Seven Pillars!

Bottom line, apparently derived from an IP, Warner Achive’s new Blu-ray is head and shoulders above any previous release, and along with DTS-HD 5.1, yields a quality representation of the film.

Wasn’t one of the rare director’s cuts affixed to the Cassini space probe that crashed into Saturn after sniffing one of her squirting moons, Enceladus? If so, we’re down another one since the tragic imploding smoke stack tragedy in Brussels that took out a copy that had been left in a nearby baby buggy. This Blu-ray arrived just in time!

The argument in favor of the USA cut, not included in this release, is that — even though it cuts out scenes essential to making the plot comprehensible — it doesn't prolong the audience's suffering.

In spite of the movie's awfulness, I have a real soft spot for it. As a kid, I had copies of both Superman III (the extended TV cut, recorded in either extended play or super long play at greatly reduced quality) and this, recorded off WPIX. I loved Superman as a kid, and basically wore both tapes out.

Not long after Supergirl (1984) we know she starred in theLegend Of Billie Jean (1985, available on Blu) and she was positively angelic even if the movie didn't make very many waves, buried underBack To The Future (1985).

Oh and just a year after BTTF, Helen Slater brightened up one of Michael J. Fox's first efforts after BTTF, The Secret Of My Success (1986, available on Region B Blu-ray from Amazon UK) as Brantley Foster's girlfriend, lucky Michael.

Helen continues to this day to appear in Superman-related shows. She was Clark Kent's biological mom in Smallville and she has appeared in the most recent iteration of Supergirl on TV.

Not long after Supergirl (1984) we know she starred in theLegend Of Billie Jean (1985, available on Blu) and she was positively angelic even if the movie didn't make very many waves, buried underBack To The Future (1985).

Oh and just a year after BTTF, Helen Slater brightened up one of Michael J. Fox's first efforts after BTTF, The Secret Of My Success (1986, available on Region B Blu-ray from Amazon UK) as Brantley Foster's girlfriend, lucky Michael.

Helen continues to this day to appear in Superman-related shows. She was Clark Kent's biological mom in Smallville and she has appeared in the most recent iteration of Supergirl on TV.

You left out one of Slater's best roles and biggest hits post Supergirl. The ditzy kidnapper's wife in the hilarious Bette Midler comedy, Ruthless People.

Oh and just a year after BTTF, Helen Slater brightened up one of Michael J. Fox's first efforts after BTTF, The Secret Of My Success (1986, available on Region B Blu-ray from Amazon UK) as Brantley Foster's girlfriend, lucky Michael.

But note that Region B disc is region free at least on the UK standalone and the Italian 3 film Bundle (Greedy and For Love or Money) and probably the Spanish Universal release. the Scandanavian releases are likely region free, but I've never found an easy reliable way to order them
There is also a Mexico Universal release for those that have access which is region A.

The German Koch release from 2014 is listed as region Free on Bluray.com, but is labeled B on the rear cover and Koch tends to lock most of their stuff (not all), but buyer beware. No information on the 2018 Koch Italian re-release

But note that Region B disc is region free at least on the UK standalone and the Italian 3 film Bundle (Greedy and For Love or Money) and probably the Spanish Universal release. the Scandanavian releases are likely region free, but I've never found an easy reliable way to order them
There is also a Mexico Universal release for those that have access which is region A.

The German Koch release from 2014 is listed as region Free on Bluray.com, but is labeled B on the rear cover and Koch tends to lock most of their stuff (not all), but buyer beware. No information on the 2018 Koch Italian re-release

All the Universal releases of "Secret of my Success" are identical, they all share the same set of subtitles and dubs to select from regardless of country, and since it is Universal they are all region free. No need to shop around for a Scandinavian release, just pick one from the litter.

The German Koch release is confirmed region free as well, not only from blu-ray.com but from DVDCompare and OFDB.de as well. I wouldn't recommend that one though since bitrate is considerably lower than the Universal release but has also an alarmingly smoother appearance due to grain reduction.

Not long after Supergirl (1984) we know she starred in theLegend Of Billie Jean (1985, available on Blu) and she was positively angelic even if the movie didn't make very many waves, buried underBack To The Future (1985).

Oh and just a year after BTTF, Helen Slater brightened up one of Michael J. Fox's first efforts after BTTF, The Secret Of My Success (1986, available on Region B Blu-ray from Amazon UK) as Brantley Foster's girlfriend, lucky Michael.

Helen continues to this day to appear in Superman-related shows. She was Clark Kent's biological mom in Smallville and she has appeared in the most recent iteration of Supergirl on TV.

One correction here: The Secret of My Success is also available in a German release that is 'region free' and sports some superb image quality; Slater, looking very nice indeed in hi-def!